Stem Cell Basics
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The discovery of stem cells was one of the greatest achievements of modern medicine. Adult stem cells are
undifferentiated cells found among differentiated cells in tissues or organs. They are literally the building blocks
for all cells and tissues in the body and possess two key and unique characteristics:
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Self-Renewal allowing them to replicate and expand their population
Differentiation the ability to grow into different types of functioning cells
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The primary roles of adult stem cells in a living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found.
Research on adult stem cells began about 50 years ago and it was soon discovered that there are two main types:
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Hematopoetic Stem Cells (HSCs), forming all blood cells
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Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), able to differentiate into multiple cell types such as bone, fat, muscle and cartilage
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